'unappreciated' originates from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and the word 'appreciate' from Latin 'appretiatus', where 'ad-' meant 'to' and 'pretium' meant 'price' or 'value'.

'appretiatus' transformed into the French word 'apprécier', and eventually became the modern English word 'appreciate', with 'unappreciated' forming by adding the prefix 'un-'.

Initially, it meant 'not valued or priced', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'not recognized or valued'.